airBaltic establishes Swiss subsidiary to boost ACMI operations

Latvian national airline airBaltic registered a wholly‑owned subsidiary, airBaltic Switzerland, in the Swiss commercial register on 4 May. The company has a share capital of 20,000 Swiss francs (about €21,800) and is tasked with providing aviation personnel services, including crew leasing and brokerage, to support the carrier’s ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) export business.

The move is part of airBaltic’s strategy to expand its pilot staffing model, allowing crew to work from bases in other countries and offering flexible schedules. The airline, which operates from hubs in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia and has crew bases in Vienna, Brussels and Belgrade, uses the Swiss entity to place pilots on partner airlines across Europe. At the same time, airBaltic is seeking short‑term financing from bondholders to stabilise its finances, having reduced its 2025 losses by more than half compared with 2024 and planning a €14 million state‑backed investment ahead of a potential IPO. Lufthansa currently holds a 10 % stake in the carrier, with the Latvian government retaining the majority share.